According to USA Facts, roughly half of the United State’s youth participate in sports outside of school. It can be a struggle to balance challenging courses, sports that take you out of school, and expectations of academic and athletic success from both oneself and one’s parents. Though staying disciplined is challenging, it’s not impossible. I’d like to think I’m a success story. Everyday, I remind myself that I’m  a STUDENT-athlete, and that my classes must ALWAYS come first. I spend six days a week at the barn. I ride at least two horses every day, take care of my horse, clean his stall, do an additional work out at home, do my homework for my classes, edit articles for the Sentinel, walk my dog, and still get to bed by 11:00. 

In order to maintain strong grades in spite of time constraints, you have to be proactive. A great strategy is, every Sunday, viewing the week’s assignments ahead of time, and making tentative due dates. Having a plan can help limit stress and help you be more productive when you choose to sit down and complete your work. Also, people – especially students – need to keep themselves accountable. With the busy schedule of a student-athlete, there’s no time to allow yourself to procrastinate. Of course, taking breaks and spending time with friends and family is important, but school should always come first.

It’s also important to remind yourself why you’re playing your sport in the first place. When you reach a certain level of competitiveness within your sport, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals. Of course, you play to win and study to do well, but it’s healthy to have a goal that you can complete yourself. For me, an example can be “I want to improve my position over the jumps” or “I want to get the feedback that my writing is more concise.” Working towards a goal can help you feel more in control, and rewarding yourself every so often might just keep you from burning out.

Speaking of reaching your limit, it’s important for everyone, regardless of their activity level, to listen to their body. In order for a body to perform at its best it needs to be nourished and rested. On days where you’ve just completed a difficult workout and are feeling hungry, let yourself eat that extra snack. Your mind and your body are only as healthy as what you put into it, so healthy habits are important to keep yourself thriving during a busy athletic season.